Spinach-Mozzarella Stuffed Burgers

I know I'm not reinventing the wheel here. Stuffed hamburgers have been around since at least 1954 but it seems like they have been a bit of a trend the past few years.
Sometimes called inside-out burgers — because cheese and other traditional topping ingredients are folded inside the burger — stuffed burgers offer a surprising burst of flavor and some believe that the stuffing also helps keep the meat itself more moist and juicy.
The most notorious stuffed burger is, of course,  the Juicy Lucy: a cheeseburger that has the cheese inside the meat patty instead of on top, resulting in a melted core of cheese within the patty.

What I really like about stuffed burgers is not only the surprise factor but also that you can turn an ordinary hamburger into something much, much more.
You can add basically anything in the middle of a patty. Stuff it simply with some cheddar or you can use more exotic foods such as avocados, jalapeno peppers or greens such as kale or spinach for a healthier version.

Lately I’ve fallen in love with these Spinach-Mozzarella Stuffed Burgers.
I made them a couple of weeks ago and they were fantastic.
I’m sure you’ll love how easy these are to prepare, and you’ll be even more impressed with the complexity of their flavours.
The spinach and the mozzarella make for the perfect stuffing and also help to keep the patties nice and juicy
These burgers are full of both flavor and color. Delicious and nutritious all in one!

Spinach-Mozzarella Stuffed Burgers                                                                                               Print this recipe!

Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients
Makes 4 patties, enough for 4 people

1½ lbs ground chuck
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups fresh spinach, firmly packed
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, salt, and pepper.
Scoop about ⅓ cup of mixture and with dampened hands shape into 8 patties about ½-inch thick. Place in the refrigerator.
Place spinach in saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, until wilted.
Drain and let cool. With your hands squeeze the spinach to extract as much liquid as possible.
Transfer to a cutting board, chop the spinach, and place in a bowl.
Stir in mozzarella cheese and Parmesan.
Scoop about ¼ cup of stuffing and mound in the center of 4 patties,
Cover with remaining 4 patties, and seal the edges by pressing firmly together.
Cup each patty with your hands to round out the edges, and press on the top to flatten slightly into a single thick patty.
Heat a grill or a grill pan to medium-high (if you’re using an outdoor grill lightly oil the grill grates).
Grill burgers for 5 to 6 minutes on each side.
Serve!

Nutrition facts

One patty yields 414 calories, 29 grams of fat, 1 gram of carbs, and 36 grams of protein.